Dining Solo

[briehon]

I may be on this next cruise solo. I really don’t mind my alone time. Can I dine alone in the MDR or will I be seated with others? If seated with others, will it be other solo diners?

 

 

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[Saint Greg]

I may be on this next cruise solo. I really don’t mind my alone time. Can I dine alone in the MDR or will I be seated with others? If seated with others, will it be other solo diners?

 

 

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If you want to eat alone, get your time dining and ask for your own table. If you want to be seated at a big table with other solos, get a fixed dining time. No guarantees that it will be other solos but they try.

[Tiger0613]

I may be on this next cruise solo. I really don’t mind my alone time. Can I dine alone in the MDR or will I be seated with others? If seated with others, will it be other solo diners?

 

 

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You can dine alone. There aren't very many two person tables, so if you have assigned dining you will likely be put with other people. I have been placed with other people on my two solo cruises. I didn't request to dine alone. I didn't make any special requests.

 

On my first solo cruise, I was the only person at a table for eight on the first night. Nobody else showed up. On the other three nights, a family of four were at my table(mom, dad, boy, girl). They originally had the late seating. I think the parents were in their 30s. I know the boy was in Circle C. The girl was in either Circle C or Club O2.

 

On my second solo cruise, I was placed at an eight(?) person table. A group of four friends showed up all four nights. They were around my age.

 

You theoretically could be seated with other solo cruisers. However, solo cruisers are used as fill-ins for groups that don't use an entire table.

[cruisin from vegas]

I have been on three solo cruises, and have two more booked...love it!!! I don't want to eat with strangers, so i get "your time" dining,request a table for one...never had any problem or waited more than a couple minutes. And that is rare.

[Sillyjilly]

I'm a solo cruiser who eats alone with no problems. I hate the dining experience. I just want to eat and go.

[salty dingo]

I hate the dining experience. I just want to eat and go.

That's pretty much the entire reason for the buffet.

[SkyMaster]

I've done many, many SOLO cruises, and request fixed seating. I've always been seated at a BIG table, with other SOLO cruisers. This works out 99% of the time, and the dining experience is one of the highlights of the cruise for me.

 

"SKY"

[naxer]

For fixed dining, I've usually been seated with other solo cruisers at a larger table, or people like parents and adult children cruising together. For my first cruise, I found a set of singles who I got along with and just moved to their MDR table--nobody said anything. It was kind of hit and miss for fixed dining times. Then, I switched to YTD, which I really like. I can go by myself, or if I find a few other people with YTD we can sit together. Or, if I want to get in and out, I just go to the buffet.

[evandbob]

I've also done more than a few solo cruises, request late dining and usually get seated at a large top table with other "solos", who incidentally are not necessary "singles". I've often mentioned the one cruise where I was the lone male at the table.

 

If you are more comfortable eating by yourself, then the buffet, room service or any time dining might be better suited to your tastes than the MDR.

 

There are lots of threads on the subject in CC's special cruising section under solo sailing.

[naxer]

I've also done more than a few solo cruises, request late dining and usually get seated at a large top table with other "solos", who incidentally are not necessary "singles". I've often mentioned the one cruise where I was the lone male at the table.

 

Yes, be sure to be clear in the terminology, it does make a difference. My self-assigned table of singles was very different than a table with solos. As a matter of fact, I don't recall any better time I ever had dining on a cruise ship, as I had with that group of singles. :halo:

[bnorris10]

That's pretty much the entire reason for the buffet.

 

Some people prefer the MDR food over buffet so if they want to eat alone and go in the MDR then they should

[briehon]

I have my time dining. So I can request a table alone? I don’t mind dining alone at all.

 

 

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[sgttami]

That's pretty much the entire reason for the buffet.

 

 

Not really. I like the MDR service and dining alone.

 

With the exception of grabbing a sandwich at the deli or a Guy's burger, I've never eaten at the buffet.

[caribsun]

Not giving advice but just my experience. I sailed one time as a solo on Carnival and I was at a table of eight solo's.

[sgttami]

I have my time dining. So I can request a table alone? I don’t mind dining alone at all.

 

 

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Yes, you can request a table for one no matter whether it's anytime or fixed.

 

I've done early dining on the Pride and requested a particular table due to it's location. I was seated there on one cruise and requested it when I went back on others.

[Saint Greg]

I have my time dining. So I can request a table alone? I don’t mind dining alone at all.

 

 

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Yep. I did it last cruise. Found a table/server I liked on the first night. Got there when they opened each night and requested it. By night four they basically had assigned it to me. I like to get out of there before the shows start and I was out by 7-7:15 each night.

[Keys2Heaven]

I may be on this next cruise solo. I really don’t mind my alone time. Can I dine alone in the MDR or will I be seated with others? If seated with others, will it be other solo diners?

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At least it's not like this on the ship:

 

kQ7CNUuoe3E

[sgttami]

at least it's not like this on the ship:

 

kq7cnuuoe3e

 

 

good one...lol:d:d:d

[Mary49]

Yep. I did it last cruise. Found a table/server I liked on the first night. Got there when they opened each night and requested it. By night four they basically had assigned it to me. I like to get out of there before the shows start and I was out by 7-7:15 each night.

 

That's good advice. So I guess I am going to switch it to YTD. This way I can ask for a table alone and get out there before the shows starts. I originally put in for Set Timing but I can change it because I have a cruise in September. Thanks for the tip.

[sgttami]

That's good advice. So I guess I am going to switch it to YTD. This way I can ask for a table alone and get out there before the shows starts. I originally put in for Set Timing but I can change it because I have a cruise in September. Thanks for the tip.

 

Just to let you know...I had early dining (6:00) and being at a table for one, I was always out of the dining room before 7:00.

[Saint Greg]

That's good advice. So I guess I am going to switch it to YTD. This way I can ask for a table alone and get out there before the shows starts. I originally put in for Set Timing but I can change it because I have a cruise in September. Thanks for the tip.

 

And I’ll tell you what table works good for me. It’s the area around the raised seating in the middle of the dining room...one of the ones where on one side there’s that long “booth” seating that covers a bunch of tables and on the other side of the tables there are chairs. One on the end where the steps are that go up to the raised seating there’s a table for two. I’d sit in the chair and be facing the empty booth seat. This eliminated the awkwardness of a table of people being behind the empty seat...and having to look down the whole time so they don’t think you’re staring at them. In that spot you can only have one table next to you because the other side is a wall. In fact because of that wall most of the dining room can’t see that you’re sitting alone. The one table next to you isn’t as close as the tables for two in the middle of the dining room. I took it a step further and asked them to try not to seat anyone next to me. Sometimes they did but it was always around 7 when I was finishing up.

[CatsinShow]

Although I only dined solo at the buffet on Carnival, I dined solo all the time last year when I went on NCL both at the buffet and in the main dining room.I just selected the anytime dining. I would always go really late when the place would be empty. I find when it's the end of the night, service is faster because everyone wants to leave. I sat by myself. It was lonely, but in the end I just wanted to eat and didn't care about being lonely lol.

[winddawn]

I may be on this next cruise solo. I really don’t mind my alone time. Can I dine alone in the MDR or will I be seated with others? If seated with others, will it be other solo diners?

 

 

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The choice is really yours. Just be sure to let them know your preference. For example during Sea Day Brunch, you can ask the ladies at the counter when you arrive at the dining room to either place you at a large table with others or by yourself. If you have an assigned dinner dining time, you can let the maître d know on embarkation day what your preference is if you have one. The Fun Times will show the time/place you can meet with the maître d. If you have Anytime Dining, just let them know when you show up for dinner each night what your preference is. IMO, Anytime Dining gives you the most day-to-day flexibility in that respect because you can request what your preference is each night.

 

Enjoy your solo cruise! I love cruising solo.

[Mary49]

Just to let you know...I had early dining (6:00) and being at a table for one, I was always out of the dining room before 7:00.

 

That is what I like to hear. Thank you.

[riclop]

I may be on this next cruise solo. I really don’t mind my alone time. Can I dine alone in the MDR or will I be seated with others? If seated with others, will it be other solo diners?

 

 

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How can anyone answer that.